Circuit arrangements for registering and retransmitting numbers



Oct. 20, 1959 DAVISON ET AL 2,909,763

CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR REGISTERING AND RETRANSMITTING NUMBERS Original Filed Jan. 25, 1955 Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 10o, FROM 0e MISCELLANEOUS F1 CONTACT REGISTER STORAGE CIRCUITS COUNTER 5C (FIG. 4.) (FIG. 3.)

101, 7 FROM DH NUMERICAL LEVEL REGSTER STORAGE CIRCUITS COUNTER sc (FIG.5.) v (F|G.2.)

SEND 5c CIRCUIT L'NE (FIG. 6.

INVENTORS ALAN DAVISON RONALD THREADGOLD ATTORNEY Oct. 20, 1959 H Ti A. DAVISON ETAL CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR REGISTERING AND RETRANSMITTING NUMBERS Original Filed Jan. 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 LEVEL COUNTER AJ nu AN (s EN DER) ZVRZ avm zvms O I O 2 VCJ.

Attorneys Oct. 20, 1959 A. DAVISON ETAL 2,

CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR REGISTERING AND RETRANSMITTING NUMBERS Original Filed Jan. 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 CONTACT COUNTER (SENDER) AK PHTD ix 9::

: 3VRH.

- WWW Cl avci 3VC11 0 BVCIM T DD +50V +50v +50v 05x 15x 85:: AJ

Inventors ALAN DAV/SON. y RONALD THREADGOLD. )Juy 6; v M

Attorneys Oct. 20, 1959 Original Filed Janr 25, 1955 A. DAVISON ETAL CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR REGISTERING AND RETRANSMITTING NUMBERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mscmmsous sronAss ELEMENT (ssnosn) PHTB PHTA 4 Z 4 Va NUMERICAL STORAGE ELEMENT (ssnoslz) HT3 PHTB PH TC INVE N TOR S A LA N DAWSON RONALD THREADGOLD ATTORNEY 1959 A. DAVISON ETAL 2,909,763

CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR REGISTERING AND RETRANSMITTING NUMBERS- Original Filed Jan. 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 AG AE SC AF SEND CIRCUIT .csci i Inventors ALAN DAV/SON. y RONALD THREADGOLD.

(7 Ala/31 2 i ed StfltCS r CIRCUIT ARRANGENIENTS FOR REGISTERING AND RETRANSMI'ITING NUMBERS Alan Davison and Ronald Threadgold, Liverpool, England, assignors to Automatic Telephone & Electric Company Limited, Liverpool, England, a British com- P y Original application January 25, 1955, Serial No. 483,985, now Patent No. 2,850,718, dated September 2,1958. Divided and this application September 7, 1956, Serial No. 608,588

4 Claims. (Cl. 340-173) This application is divided from Patent No. 2,850,718, granted to Davison and Threadgold and dated September 2, 1958.

The present invention is concerned with circuit arrangements for registering numbers and'is more particularly concerned with circuit arrangements which also subsequently retransmit the registered number. Circuit arrangements of this type are well known and many of the prior arrangements, particularly those operating at high speed, employ cold cathode gas discharge tubes.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide circuit arrangements employing cold cathode gas discharge tubes which are simpler than those already known.

It is another object of the invention to provide circuit arrangements employing cold cathode gas discharge tubes which operate at high speed in a reliable manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide circuit arrangements for registering and subsequently transmitting numbers in coded form.

According to one feature of the invention, the circuit arrangement comprises a plurality of input leads, an equal plurality of output leads, a plurality of first cold cathode gas discharge tubes, a plurality of second cold cathode Patented Oct. 20, 1959 form, means responsive to the application of potential to one of said input leads in all groups for applying a priming potential to one of said first gas discharge tubes in all groups, means for applying striking potentials successively to said first gas discharge tubes whereby the primed one in each group of said first gas discharge tubes strikes, means responsive to the striking of one in each group of said first gas discharge tubes for applying a priming potential to the corresponding ones of said second gas discharge tubes, means for applying striking potentials successively said second gas discharge tubes whereby lowing description which should be read in conjunction With the accompanying drawings comprising Figs. 1 to 6.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows in block schematic form the interconnections between the Contact and Level Counters, the Storage circuits and the Send circuit,

Fig. 2 shows the circuit of a Level Counter of the Sender,

Fig. 3 shows the circuit of a Contact Counter of the Sender,

Fig. 4 shows the circuit of a Miscellaneous outgoing Storage Element,

gas discharge tubes, each one of which corresponds to one of said first gas discharge tubes, means for applying a potential to at least one of said input leads to represent the number in coded form, means responsive to the application of potential to one of said input leads for applying a priming potential to one of said first gas discharge tubes, means for applying striking potentials successively to said first gas discharge tubes whereby the primed one of said first gas discharge tubes strikes, means responsive to the striking of one of said first gas discharge tubes for applying a priming potential to the corresponding one of-said second gas discharge tubes, means for applying striking potentials successively to the said second gas discharge tubes whereby the primed one of said second gas discharge tubes strikes, means responsive to the striking of said second gas discharge tube for applying a potential to one of said output leads transmitting means and means responsive to the application of potential to one of said output leads for controlling the operation of said transmitting means to transmit the registered number.

According to another feature of the invention, the circuit arrangement comprises a plurality of groups of input leads, one group for each digit to be registered, an equal plurality of groups of outlet leads, a plurality of groups of first cold cathode gas discharge tubes, a plurality of groups of second cold cathode gas discharge tubes, each one of which corresponds to one of said first cold cathode gas discharge tubes, means for applying a' potential to at least one of said input leads in all of said groups to represent a plurality of numbers in coded Fig. 5 shows the circuit of a Numerical Storage element, 1

Fig. 6 shows the Send circuit of the Sender.

A detailed description of the complete system, including Sender and Receiver, to which the invention is applied is given in Patent No. 2,850,718 and the following description is concerned solely with the elements concerned in the present invention.

The information to be transmitted from the Sender consists of routing, numerical and supervisory information and is stored on a Register on two-position devices such as relays or gas discharge tubes. Routing and supervisory information i.e. Miscellaneous information, is indicated in static form by the presence of a signal on one of a group of leads extending from the Register to the Miscellaneous Storage circuits 102. Numerical information may be presented in a simple coded form and in the embodiment to be described the binary form is used so that the information in static form is given by the presence of a signal on one or more of a group of leads. It will, of course, be understood that the information may be indicated in other ways. For instance,-

the Miscellaneous information may be indicated in binary form while the numerical information may be indicated in 2 out of 5 code.

All these forms of coded indications however have the characteristic that a single item of information is represented in dynamic form by the presence or absence of a signal in a number of successive time elements. In other words a single item of information is represented in dynamic form by a 0 or a l in a number of successive time elements. It will therefore be understood that the Miscellaneous and Numerical Storage circuits 100, 101 to which the information is transferred from the Register, must include a number of storage elements equal to the number of elements necessary for each item multiplied by the number of items, and each storage element is associated with a particular display lead ex" tending to the Sender from the Register.

Each storage element in the Miscellaneous and Numerical storage circuits is provided with a number of cold cathode gas discharge tubes and the presence of a signal on a display lead extending from the Register serves to bias one of the tubes in the storage element associated with the display lead. Striking pulses are then applied from scanning means to each of the storage elements in turn so that a tube strikes in each of the storage elements associated with a display lead to which a signal has been applied. When the scanning opera tion has been completed, therefore, all the information has been transferred from the Register to the Sender.

The efiect of the striking of a gas discharge tube in a storage element is to apply a biasing potential to a second tube in the element and a second scanning operation is then performed. This second scanning operation is effective on all the second tubes of the storage elements and causes those to strike in the storage-elements in which the first tube has been struck on the previous scanning operation. The striking of one of these second tubes controls the operation of the Send circuit 102 (Fig. l) which is arranged to transmit mark and space signals over the junction line to the Receiver.

The scanning arrangements employed in the Sender provide for the co-ordinate scanning of the storage circuits. The scanning arrangements comprise the Contact Counter 103 and Level Counter TM. The Contact Counter is a ten-position Counter while the Level Counter is a fifteen-position counter, the Contact Counter being driven from a pulse source capable of delivering pulses at the rate of 400 or 50 i.p.s. The Level Counter is driven from the Contact Counter in such a way that each time the Contact Counter reaches the tenth position, a pulse is delivered to the Level Counter to step this on to the next position.

The Level Counter provides bias potentials to the storage elements and the contact Counter provides pulse potentials to the storage elements, the arrangement being such that with a particular stage in the Level Counter effective, a biasing potential is applied to one level of storage circuits during the time that the Contact Counter applies pulse potentials successively to corresponding contacts in all the levels.

As described in detail in Patent No. 2,850,718 the sequence of operations of the Sender is controlled by a Sequence Counter and a Sequence work circuit b d? as these components are not concerned with the present invention they are not shown.

Briefly, the operation of the circuits shown is as follows. When a Register at the sending end has stored its full complement of routing, numerical and supervisory information, a start signal energises in a free Sender certain circuit elements which were previously inert. The Sender is now ready to accept information from the Register, and a busy signal is returned to the register while the Sender is held.

The Miscellaneous and Numerical Storage circuits 100 and 101 respectively are now scanned for the first time by the Level Counter 104 and the Contact Counter 103. The result of this scan is that the information displayed by the Register is now stored in the Sender.

The Sender now tests that the Receiver at the receiving end of the junction is free, and if it is, scans its storage circuits again. This scan is carried out at 50 tubes per second, the Contact Counter 103 being now driven at this slower rate by the impulse source. All the stored information is transmitted at 50 impulses per second (i.p.s) to the Receiver via the Send circuit 102 in the form of mark and space impulses.

In the drawings, the electron tubes carry references.

which distinguish their function and the sheet number in which they appear. All the tubes are gas-filled discharge tubes of the cold cathode type except those whose 11 references contain the letters VT, which are thermionic tubes. Of the remainder:

VB indicates a tube in a binary pair,

VC is a counting tube,

VF is a tube connected in a scanning field,

VP is a pulse repeating tube,

VR is a pulse repeating tube which is part of a counter circuit.

The prefix figures indicate the figure number in which the tube is located and the suflix figures the position of the tube in a circuit. For example, tube 2VR3 is a cold cathode pulse repeating tube in the Level Counter circuit of Fig. 2 and is associated with the third stage of the circuit.

The leads which connect one part of the circuit to another part shown in a different drawing are provided with a number in brackets alongside the lead. This refers to the number of the figure to which the lead connects.

Before proceeding with a detailed description of the operation of the equipment, a description will be given of the individual circuits forming the equipment.

The Level Counter is shown in Fig. 2 and comprises 15 stages of which only stages 1, 2, 3 and 15 are shown. Each stage is provided with a repeating tube such as 2VR1 and a counting tube such as ZVCl. In addition an auxiliary counting tube ZVCZA is provided in parallel with tube 2VC2. When the Sender is taken into use by 21 Register, tube 2VC2A strikes and the operation of the Counter is controlled by the application of pulses to all the repeating tubes, a pulse being obtained each time the Contact Counter reaches position 10. The first pulse so applied causes tube 2VR3 to strike followed by tube 2VC3 whereupon tube 2VC2 is extinguished. The stages are operated successively in this way so that potentials are applied successively to leads 2y to 15y. The first scanning operation takes place while the Level Counter moves through stages 2 to 14 in conjunction with the Contact Counter. On the pulse delivered from position 10 of the Contact Counter on level 14, tube 2VR15 fires and the pulse from its cathode over lead AN indicates the ends of the first scanning operation. Tube ZVCIS also strikes and primes tube 2VR1. The latter tube is fired from position 10 of the Contact Counter on level 15 and is followed by tube 2VC1. The second scanning operation now takes place and is completed at the end of the level 14 scan. The level 15 scan is employed for control purposes as described in detail subsequently and the pulse from the tenth position of the Contact Counter in the level 15 scan again fires tube ZVRl which is followed by the striking of tube 2VC1. Under normal conditions of operation the circuit remains in this condition until the next transmission is to take place.

The Contact Counter is shown in Fig. 3 and comprises 11 stages of which stages 1, 2, 10 and 11 only are shown. Each stage includes a pulse repeating tube such as 3VR1 and a pulse counting tube such as 3VC1. In addition stages 1 to 9 each have an additional counting tube of which the first, 3VP1 and the ninth, 3VP9 only are shown. Scanning pulses are delivered over leads 1x and fix connected to the cathodes of tubes 3VF1 t0 3VF9 while the tenth lead 10x is connected to the cathode of the thermionic tube 3VT1 which also provides the drive pulses over lead A] for the Level Counter. Tube 3VC11A is connected in parallel with tube 3VC1 l and is struck when the HT supply is initially connected. Tube 3VC11 striking primes tube 3VRll and the Counter is ready to receive drive pulses over lead AK to effect the scanning operations. The drive pulses are received at 400 i.p.s. for the first scanning operation and at 50 i.p.s. for the second scanning operation, the stages operating successively in each case.

One element of the Miscellaneous Storage circuit is shown in Fig. 4 and it consists of the three gas discharge tubes 4VP1, 4VP2 an'd 4VF1. It will be understood that there will be a number of such elements provided depending on the code used and the storage capacity required. One display lead DG extends from the Register to each one of the Miscellaneous storage elements and as previously mentioned a potential may or may not be applied tothe display lead. Assuming that a potential is applied to lead DG, tube 4VP1 will be primed and when tube 4VF1 is struck during the first scanning operation by the application of pulse and bias potentials to leads Fx and Fy, a pulse potential will be applied to tube 4VP1 which strikes. Tube 4VP 1 in striking primes tube 4VP2. Tube 4VF1 is extinguished due to the pulsed HT supply over lead PHTA, when it has delivered a pulse to tube 4VP1. Tube 4VF1 is again struck on the second scanning operation and causes tube 4VP2 to strike since it is now primed. The positive potential at the cathode of tube 4VP2 is applied over lead SC to the Sender circuit to cause the transmission of the appropriate signal. If there is no potential applied to the display lead, the striking of tube 4VF1 in both the first and the second scanning operations will be inefiective since tube 4VP1 will not be primed during the first operation and tube 4VP2 will not be primed during the second operation. No potential is therefore applied to the Sender circuit over lead SC.

One element of the Numerical Storage circuit is shown in Fig. 5 and, as with the Miscellaneous Storage element, a number of these will be provided, again depending on the code used and the required storage capacity. The Numerical Storage element is similar to the Miscellaneous Storage element shown in Fig. 4 and in fact consists of the same circuit with the addition of tube 5VP3, tubes 5VP1, SVPZ, 5VF1 corresponding respectively to tubes 4VP1, 4VP2, 4VF1 of the Miscellaneous Storage circuit. It will be seen that tube 5VP3 in the Numerical Storage element strikes if tube 5VP.1 strikes, that is to say, tube 5VP3 strikes if a signal is present on the transfer lead DH extending from the Register. The positive potential obtained from the cathode of tube 5VP3 is applied over lead AA to a checking circuit for the purpose described in Patent No. 2,850,718.

The Send circuit is shown in Fig. 6 and consists of the pulse repeating tubes '6VR3, 6VP-1 and 6VP2 and their associated counting tubes 6VC1, 6VC2 and 6VC3 respectively. In additon the circuit includes a thermionic tube 6VT1 which provides a pulsed H.T. supply for the repeating tubes, tubes 6VB1 and 6VB2 which are connected as a binary pair and the telegraph relay CSC which has one winding in the cathode circuit of tube 6VB1 of the binary pair. The telegraph relay controls at its contacts CSC1 the application of positive or negative 80 v. to the MCA leg of the junction line. These contacts are normally in the position shown in the drawing so that 80 v. is applied to the MCA leg and this is referred to as the mark condition. The Send circuit is controlled from the pulse source previouslymentioned when this source is delivering 50 impulses per second. Between consecutive pulses delivered by the source a potential will be applied to lead SC from a storage element if this storage element carries a one. This causes tube 6VC2 to strike thereby priming tubes 6VP1. A pulse is now applied to lead AE but is without effect at this time. A further pulse is applied to tubes 6VP1 and 6VP2 but since tube 6VC2 is conducting, tube 6VP1 only will fire. The striking of tube 6VP 1 is followed by the striking of tube 6VB1 whereupon the upper winding of the telegraph relay CSC is energised and the relay contacts are changed over to connect +80 v. to the MCA leg. Finally a pulse is applied to lead AG to cause tube 6VC1 to strike thereby extinguishing tube 6VC3 and priming tube 6VR3. No further operation takes place until the next pulse is delivered by the source.

If the storage element now scanned also carries a one tube 6VC2 will again strike, prime tube 6VP1 and extinguish tube 6VC1. The space. condition is accordinglymaintained on the MCA leg. If, however, the storage element does not carry a one no potential will be applied over lead SC and tube 6VC1 remains conducting. Consequently when a pulse is applied over lead AE, tube 6VR3 will strike followed by tube .6VC3. Tube 6VO1 is thus extinguished and tube 6VP2 is primed. Hence when a pulse is applied over lead AF, tube 6VP2 strikes and causes tube -6VB2 to strike, thereby extinguishing tube 6VB1 whereupon the upperwinding of the telegraph relay CSC is deenergised and the contacts CSC1 are changed overto apply 80 V. to the MCA leg. on the application of the pulse to lead AG tube 6VC1 again strikes, thereby extinguishing tube 6VC3 and priming tube 6VR3. The circuit operates in this way as long as pulses are delivered by the source.

Having now described in detail the individual circuits of the Sender, a description will now be'given of the way in which the individual circuits co-operate during the transmission of a message.

'When the HT supply of a Sender is connected, a pulse is applied over lead DD to an auxiliary tube 3VO1 1A of the Contact Counter (Fig. 3). Tube 3VC11A fires, and a bias potential from its cathode primes the self-extinguishing pulse-repeating tubes of the 0 position, i.e. tube 3V'Rd.

It should be mentioned that pulse repeating tubes such as tube 2VR1 are of the self-extinguishing type. When they are initially fired bythe combination of a bias and a pulse on their trigger electrodes, current throughthe tube charges the capacitors in their anode and cathode circuits. When these capacitors reach a certain state of charge, the current through the tube is limited by its series resistors, and these are inade'of such a value that the current flowing through them is insuificient to mainthe discharge. The tube therefiore extinguishers after delivering a pulse from its cathode.

The busy or idle condition of the junction line to which the sender is connectedis indicated by the application at the incoming end of the junction of v. or 80 v. respectively to the return leg MCB (Fig. 16) of the junction. Assuming that the junction is free, various circuit operations take place as described in detail in Patent No. 2,850,718. When a Register requires to use a Sender to transmit a message over the junction, it tests the junction and, as. it is free, +180.volts is applied over lead HT3 to the storage tubes 4VP1 (Fig. 4) and 5VP1 (Fig. 5) of theMiscellaneous andNurnerical Storage circuits; to the- Mark/space binary pair 6VB1, 6VB2 in the Send circuit (Fig. 6) and to tube 6VT1 of the Send circuit (Fig. 6). Subsequently a pulse is applied over lead AL to the auxiliary tube ZVCZA of the Level Counter (Fig. 2), which fires, and primes the third Level pulse repeater tube ZVRS of the Level Counter. A signal is now applied to the Register which is thereby caused to display a bias over lead DG (Fig. 4) to the trigger electrode of the store tube 4VP1 in every Miscellaneous Storage circuit, and over lead DH (Fig. 5) to the store tube 5VP1 and Count tube 5VP3 in every Numerical Storage circuit which corresponds to an operated storage device in the Register. A backing-ofif potential on lead AA is now removed from the cathodes of the Count tubes 5VP3 (Fig. 5) of the Numerical Storage circuit. The Storage circuits are now ready for the high speed scan.

Pulses are now delivered via lead AK to the trigger electrodes of all 11 pulse distributing tubes 3VR1 to 3VR11 (Fig. 3)- of the Contact Counter, these tubes being also controlled at their anodes which are supplied by pulsed-HT over lead PHTE. The 011' position tube 3VR1 (Fig. 3) of the Contact Counter is primed from the auxiliary tube 3VC11A as previously described and fires on receipt of the first pulse received over lead AK. A pulse is delivered from its cathode to its associated counter tube 3VC1, and it also supplies a pulse over the first of the special x pulse leads, lead sx. The counter tube 3VC1 fires and primes both the first position distn'buting tube 3VR2 and the first position pulsing tube 3VP1. The Ofi position distributing tube 3VR1 is extinguished on the reduction of its HT supply, and the next pulse from lead AK will fire both the first position tubes in the distributing and pulsing chains. The pulsing tubes 3VP1 to 3VP9 on firing deliver pulses over the x pulse lead 1x to 9x.

The distributing, pulsing and counting tubes fire successively on receipt of successive driving pulses, the distributing and pulsing tubes being extinguished by the pulsed-HT supply received over leads PHTE and PHTD, while the counting tubes are mutually extinguishing because of their common anode resistor R15. x pulses therefore appear at leads 1x to 9x in turn and special 1: pulses at leads Osx to 9sx in turn. Whenthe tenth distributing tube SVRll is reached, a bias is applied to the cathode follower 3VT1, and the tenth x pulse is generated at its cathode. Tube 3VT1 also applies a pulse via lead A] to the Level Counter (Fig. 2) where it is applied to the trigger electrodes of all 15 self-extinguishing pulse repeater tubes ZVRI to 2VR15.

The Level Counter takes one step after each complete cycle of the Contact Counter. The auxiliary tube 2VC2A was initially fired from the Sequence Control circuit by a pulse on lead AL as previously described, and the third position pulse repeater tube 2VR3 is therefore biased and is the first tube to strike on receipt of a pulse from the Contact Counter over lead A], a bias meanwhile being maintained on lead 2y. The counter tube 2VC3 associated with the third position pulse repeater 2VR3 is fired by a pulse from the cathode of the latter and in turn primes the adjacent pulse repeater 2VR4 (not shown) and applies a bias to its y bias lead.

It will therefore be seen that each y bias lead from 2y onwards is energized in turn While all the x pulse leads are sequentially pulsed at 400 i.p.s. After the tenth x pulse there is a pause while the Contact Counter is in the Oif position, and this allows the y bias to stabilise before the x pulse sequence re-cornmences. The Mark tubes 4VF1 to 4VFn (not shown) and 5VF1 to SVFn (not shown) of the Miscellaneous and Numerical Storage circuits respectively have their trigger electrodes connected to a co-ordinate scanning field, the axes of which comprise the ten x pulse and 15 y bias leads. Each trigger electrode is connected to one x and one y lead.

The Mark tubes in all the Storage circuits are fired on application of a simultaneous x pulse and y bias to their triggers. In the Miscellaneous Storage circuits, a Mark tube 4VF1 in firing applies a pulse to the associated Store tube, 4VP1, and the Store tubes which have been primed from the Register now fire. In the same way in the Numerical Storage circuits, both the Store and Count tubes 5VP1 and 5VP3 which have been primed from the Register also fire. The Count tubes are controlled by a pulsed-HT lead, PHTC, and those that have fired therefore extinguish after providing a pulse over lead AA for checking purposes.

When the Level Counter (Fig. 2) has completed its scan of Level 14, the Level 15 pulse repeater tube ZVRlS fires, and a pulse is delivered from its cathode circuit via lead AN to the end of the count.

A backing-off potential is again applied via lead AA to the Count tubes 5VP3 of the Numerical Storage circuits (Fig. 5), and prevents spurious pulses being given during sending.

Earth potential is now applied to the Register to indicate that the Sender has received all the stored information. Approximately 27.5 ms. later, the Level ll pulse repeater tube 2VR1 in the Level Counter (Fig. 2) will fire in the normal course .of cyclic operation, and in turn will fire its corresponding Level 1 counter tube 2VC1, and also cut oi the train of pulses over lead AD to the 3 Contact Counter (Fig. 3) which therefore stops with the tenth position counter tube 3VClL1 fired.

The Sender is now ready to transmit its information over the inter-exchange junction, and tests whether the distant receiving circuit is free. This operation has already been described and its repetition at this stage is necessary since the receiver may still be dealing with information transmitted thereto from a previous operation of the Sender in which case v. would be applied to the return leg MCB of the junction.

Assuming that the junction is free, circuits become effective to step the Contact Counter at 50 i.p.s. to scan the circuits associated with each x pulse lead in turn.

The tube occupying each position of the scanning field fires as it receives an x pulse and a y bias simultaneously.

in the case of the Miscellaneous and Numerical Storage circuits the firing of a Mark tube 4VF1 or 5VF1 respectively results in a pulse being applied to the trigger electrode of the corresponding Send Tube 4VP2 or 5VP2, and this tube fires if it is primed from its Store tube i-VPi or SVPl. Each Send tube which fires delivers a pulse to the common lead SC, which in turn applies a pulse to the Send circuit.

in the Send circuit (Fig. 6) this pulse fires tube 6VC2, which in turn primes the Space pulse repeater tube VPl. Following this a pulse is applied over lead AF to the Space and Mark pulse repeater tubes 6VPll and 6Vi 2 of the Send circuit. If tube 6VC2 has fired, the Space tube 6VPl will now fire and will in turn fire tube 6VB1. This tube in firing operates the polarized telegraph type relay CSC in its cathode circuit, and this now connects +80 v. to the go leg MCA of the junction in place of the continuous mark signal previously applied. A pulse is now delivered over lead AG to fire tube 6VC1 of the Send circuit, and tube 6VC2 is thereby extinguished. Tubes fiVPi and 6VB1, however, remain conducting and relay CSC remains in its operated position.

When a Storage circuit is scanned in which the Send tube does not fire, pulse repeater tube 6VR3 of the Send circuit, which is primed by tube 6VCll, will fire from a ulse received over lead AE subsequent to the scanning pulse. Tube 6VR3 in turn will apply a pulse to tube 6VC3 which fires and primes the pulse repeater tube 6VP2. This tube tires on receipt of a pulse over lead AF and tube 6VP2 now fires the Mark tube 6VB2, which extinguishes the space tube 6VB1, and relay CSC then releases and applies a mark signal of 80 v. to the junction. If the scan tests two adjacent Storage circuits and finds them in the same condition, the contacts of relay CSC will not change over between the two space and mark signals.

The operations described above are repeated until all the Miscellaneous and Numerical Storage circuits have been scanned in succession and when this has been effected transmission is terminated.

We claim:

1. Circuit arrangements for registering a number and for subsequently retransmitting said number comprising a plurality of input leads, an equal plurality of output leads, a plurality of circuits each consisting of first and second cold cathode gas discharge tubes and each connected between one of said input leads and the corresponding output lead, means for applying a potential to at least one of said input leads to represent the number, means responsive to the application of potential to one of said input leads for applying a priming potential to the first gas discharge tube, of the corresponding circuit, scanning means, means responsive to a first operation of said scanning means for applying striking potentials successively to the first gas discharge tubes of all said circuits whereby a primed first gas discharge tube strikes, means responsive to the striking of a first gas discharge tube for applying a priming potential to the second gas discharge tube, of the same circuit, means responsive to a second operation of said scanning means for applying striking potentials successively to the second gas discharge tubes of all said circuits whereby a primed second gas discharge tube strikes, means responsive to the striking of a second gas discharge tube in one of said circuits for applying a potential to the output lead connected to said one cricuit, transmitting means and means responsive to the application of potential to at least one of said output leads for controlling the operation of said transmitting means to transmit the registered number.

2. Circuit arrangements for registering a number and for subsequently retransmitting said number comprising a plurality of input leads, an equal plurality of output leads, a plurality of circuits each connected between one of said input leads and the corresponding output lead and each consisting of first and second cold cathode gas discharge tubes having an anode, a cathode and a priming electrode, means for applying a potential to at least one of said input leads to represent the number whereby a priming potential is applied to the priming electrode of the first gas discharge tubes of the corresponding circuit, means for applying striking potentials successively to the priming electrodes of the first gas discharge tubes of all said circuits whereby a primed first gas discharge tube strikes, means responsive to the striking of a first gas dischange tube for applying a priming potential to the priming electrode of the second gas discharge tube of the same circuit, means for applying striking potentials successively to the priming electrodes of the second gas discharge tubes of all said circuits whereby a primed second gas discharge tube strikes to apply a potential to the output lead connected to said same circuit transmitting means and means responsive to the application of potential to at least one of said output leads for controlling the operation of said transmitting means to transmit the registered number.

3. Circuit arrangements for simultaneously registering a plurality of numbers and for subsequently transmitting said numbers successively comprising a plurality of groups of input leads, one group for each number to be registered, an equal plurality of groups of circuits each connected between one of said input leads and the corresponding output lead and each consisting of first and second cold cathode gas discharge tubes, outlet leads, a plurality of groups of, means for simultaneously applying a potential to at least one of said input leads in all of said groups to represent a plurality of numbers, means responsive to the application of potential to one of said input leads in all groups for applying a priming potential to the first gas discharge tubes of the corresponding circuits in all groups, means for applying striking potentials successively to the first gas discharge tubes of all said cricuits in all said groups whereby the primed ones of said first gas discharge tubes strike, means responsive to the striking of the first gas discharge tube of a circuit for applying a priming potential to the second gas discharge tube of the same circuit, means for applying striking potentials successively to the second gas discharge tubes of all said circuits in all said groups whereby the primed ones of said second gas discharge tubes strike, means responsive to the striking of the second gas discharge tube of a circuit for applying a potential to the output lead connected to said same circuit, transmitting means and means responsive to the application of potential to said output leads for controlling the operation of said transmitting means to transmit successively said plurality of numbers.

4. Circuit arrangements for registering a plurality of numbers comprising a plurality of groups of leads, one group for each number and one lead for each digit of a number, a plurality of groups of circuits each connected to one of said leads and each including first and second cold cathode gas discharge tubes, means for simultaneously applying a potential to at least one lead in each of said plurality of groups of leads to represent said plurality of numbers, means responsive to the application of potential to one of said leads in all of said groups for applying a priming potential to the first gas discharge tubes of the corresponding circuits, means for successively striking the second tubes in all said circuits and means responsive to the striking of said second tubes for applying a striking potential to the first tubes in all said circuits whereby the primed ones of the first tubes, strike to register said plurality of numbers.

References Cited in the file of this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS 

